"Arrow" Casts "Glee" Villain as The Flash
by Michael Ausiello and Matt Webb Mitovich
9/13/13


"Glee" alum Grant Gustin has landed a Flashy new role.

"Arrow" has tapped the 23-year-old actor to play the pivotal role Barry Allen (aka The Flash), TVLine has confirmed.



Gustin’s Barry will be introduced in Episodes 8 and 9 of "Arrow" Season 2 (premiering Oct. 9), as a forensics scientist working for the Central City police department — “just an ordinary man,” EP Andrew Kreisberg has said. “That’s how the audience will get to know him before life gets a little bit faster.”

Barry will also appear in Episode 20, a formal backdoor pilot for a potential spin-off more focused on this new character.





DC Comics Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns, Kreisberg and fellow EP Greg Berlanti will cowrite the three Barry Allen episodes, while Arrow/Smallville pilot director David Nutter is on board to direct Episode 20 aka the backdoor pilot.

Though the show’s creatives had said a blonde actor “would be preferred,” ultimately they wanted “the best actor for the part” — and/or “someone who look good in red,” Johns quipped.

http://tvline.com/2013/09/13/arrow-the-flash-grant-gustin-cast-season-2/

"Arrow": "Glee's" Grant Gustin Debuts as The Flash (Photo)
11/18/13
by Philiana Ng


Flash, meet Oliver Queen.

The CW released an image Monday of "Glee's" Grant Gustin making his debut on Arrow as Barry Allen, the man who will become the heroic Flash, in the Dec. 4 episode titled 'The Scientist'.

When Barry steps foot in Starling City, expect him and Felicity to have a connection -- and others will notice.





"They're really fun, they're really flirty and they're really smart. Both of them are extremely intelligent characters and I think the audience will enjoy that," "Arrow's" Emily Bett Rickards told The Hollywood Reporter recently.

"It's really interesting to act with someone who's like literally as smart as Felicity because I know very few people who are as genius as Felicity is ..."



Stephen Amell described Barry as "a whippersnapper," "enthusiastic" and "incredibly smart" in an October chat with THR.

"He's a little naive and his level of enthusiasm and his penchant for problem-solving is something we've seen on the show with Felicity."





Gustin's Flash will also appear in the Dec. 11 episode of "Arrow".

The character was originally set for a backdoor pilot in episode 20, but will instead film a traditional pilot.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/arrow-grant-gustin-as-flash-657064

23 seems awfully young for a forensic scientist - and that kid looks like a very young 23.

it seems like they are trying to use the Wally West Flash persona instead of Barry Allen's - which might make for a more interesting (or more accurately younger skewing) take on the character; this would also be a lot less accurate, realistic and believable.

Doesn't anyone else here except me have a problem with breaking up the pair-Felicity and Oliver Queen!???........I liked the two of them together.:(

have they actually said that Felicity is leaving Arrow - or were they just referring to their interaction during the Arrow episodes?

I just love the two of them together......

http://www.hollywood.com/news/tv/56792625/will-this-incarnation-of-the-flash-also-zip-by

An earlier attempt at Barry Allen was on and off air in blink of an eye.